ABSTRACT

Non-realism is not simply the absence of realism, nor is it the opposite of realism. It is a form in itself. There are, of course, many kinds of non-realism as well as mixtures of realism and non-realism, forming a rich spectrum of theatrical styles ranging from the classical realism of Ibsen through the visual and verbal poetry of Death of a Salesman to the dream pieces of Aishah Rahman and Anne Bogart’s experimental extravaganza No Plays, No Poetry. If directors and dramaturgs only share the language of realism, then they will be tempted to impose realist expectations on all scripts, thereby diluting the richness of any non-realist elements and limiting the production’s meaning-making apparatus.